Situation in OPT -summary statement – Secretary-General

SUMMARY STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON MATTERS OF

WHICH THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS SEIZED AND ON THE STAGE

REACHED IN THEIR CONSIDERATION

Addendum

Pursuant to rule 11 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security council, the Secretary-General is submitting the following summary statement.

The list of items of which the Security Council is seized is contained in document S/13033 of 9 January 1979.

During the week ending 21 July, the Security Council took action on the following item:

The situation in the occupied Arab territories (see S/11935/Add.18, S/11935/Add.19, S/11935/Add.20, S/11935/Add.21, S/11935/Add.44, S/11935/Add.45, S/11033/Add.9, S/13033/Add.10, and S/13033/Ad.11).

The Security Council resumed its consideration of the item at its 2156th meeting, held on 18 July 1979, on the basis of the report of the Security Council Commission established under resolution 446 (1979) (S/13450 and Add.1). The Council continued its discussion of the time at its 2157th to 2159th meetings held on 19 and 20 July 1979.

In the course of the discussions, the President, with the consent of the council, invited the representatives of Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Syrian Arab Republic, at their request, to participate in the discussion without the right to vote.  As requested in his letter dated 18 July 1979, the Security Council extended an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to the Acting Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

At the 2156th meeting, the President drew attention to the request contained in the letter dated 18 July 1979 from the representative of Kuwait (S/13456) that the representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization be invited to participate in the debate.  He said that that proposal was not formulated under rule 37 or rule 39 of the Security Council's provisional rules of procedure but that if was adopted by the Council, the invitation would confer on the Palestine Liberation Organization the same rights of participation as were conferred on Member States invited pursuant to rule 37.

Following discussion, the Security  council adopted the proposal by a vote of 10 in favour to 1 against (the United States of America), with 4 abstentions (France, Norway, Portugal and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland).

At the 2159th meeting, the President drew attention to the text of the draft resolution before the Council, contained in document S/13461, which has been prepared in the course of informal consultations among the members of the Council.

The Security Council adopted the draft resolution (S/13461) by 14 vote to none, with one abstention (the United States of America), as resolution 452 (1979).

Resolution 452 (1979) reads as follows:

The Security Council,

Taking note of the report and recommendations of the Security Council commission established under resolution 446 (1979) to examine the situation related to settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, contained in document S/13450,

Strongly deploring the lack of cooperation of Israel with the commission,

Considering that the policy of Israel in establishing settlements in the occupied Arab territories has no legal validity and constitutes a violation of the Fourth Geneva convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time war of 12 August 1949,

Deeply concerned by the practices of the Israeli authorities in implementing that settlements policy in the occupied Arab and Palestinian population,

Emphasizing the need for confronting the issue of the existing settlements the need to consider measures to safeguard the impartial protection of property seized,

Bearing in mind the specific status of Jerusalem, and reconfirming pertinent Security council resolutions concerning Jerusalem and in particular the need to protect and preserve the unique spiritual and religious dimension of the Holy Place in that city,

Drawing attention to the grave consequences which the settlements policy is bound to have on any attempt to reach a peaceful solution in the Middle East,

1. Commends the work done by the Commission in preparing the report on the establishment of Israeli settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967 including Jerusalem;

2. Accepts the recommendations contained in the above-mentioned report of the Commission;

3. Calls upon the Government and people of Israel to cease, on an urgent basis, the establishment, construction and planning of settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem;

4. Requests the Commission, in view of the magnitude of the problem of settlements, to keep under close survey the implementation of the present resolution and to report back to the Security Council before 1 November 1979.

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